Automatic lock slider for fasteners



May 1, 1951 R. c. LEGAT AUTOMATIC LIOCK SLIDER FOR FASTENERS Filed NOV. 12, 1948 INV ENTOR. ROBERT c. LEGAT Patented May 1, 1951 UNITED STATS ATENT OFFICE AUTGMATIC LGCK SLIDER FOR FASTENERS Application November 12, 1948, Serial No. 59,682

9 Claims.

This invention relates to separable fasteners of the slide operated type and, more particularly to a slider therefor provided with improved locking means for preventing unintentional movement of the slider along the fastener.

An object of the invention is to provide a separable fastener slider with an improved 1001'- ing means which will be automatically operative to effectively lock the slider in position on the fastener without any attention from the user or the aid of resilient actuating means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved automatic lock slider having an extremely simple and durable construction, and which can be readily and economically manufactured in quantity in accordance with known methods.

Other objects of the invention as well as the advantages and novel features of construction of the slider of this invention will appear from the following description thereof, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. in which Fig. l is a front view of a portion .of a fastener equipped with the slider of this invention; Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal vertical section of the structure shown in Fig. 1 and'illustrates the position of the locking element when the pull tab is manipulated to pull the slider along the fastener; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the slider per se; Fig. 4 is an enlarged, detailed, sectional view taken along the line l of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an enlarged, detailed side view, partly in section, of the slider body, the lower portion of the pull tab, the locking element and the fastener elements, and illustrates the relation of such parts when the pull tab is actuated to move the slider along the fastener; Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the relation of such parts when the pull tab is in one at-rest position; Fig. '7 is a similar view showing the relation of such parts when the pull tab is in its other at-rest position, and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the pull tab.

In the drawings, there is shown a conventional fastener structure having flexible tape stringers l0 and H with rows of interlocking elements l2 and I3, respectively, secured to the opposed edges of such stringers and constructed and arranged so that they can come together and interlock properly in interfingered relation. The engageportion it are made from a single piece of material which, after it has been processed to compiete the form of the wings l4 and I5, is bent in the region of the neck portion is to bring such wings or plates into the relation shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. The plate It constitutes the outer or front wall of the slider and is disposed in spaced, substantially parallel relation to the other plate l5 which forms the rear wall of the slider. During the aforesaid bending operation, the neck portion 16 is transformed from a flat, rectangular shape into a depending fold which is V-shaped in cross-section, as can be seen more clearly in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings. This depending fold forms a wedge-shaped divider or separator at the upper end of the slider intermediate the two wings M and 15 thereof. The wings l4 and i5 are provided with lateral guide flanges ii and i8, respectively, to define the outer margins of the interior channel through which the interlocking elements travel when the slider is moved longitudinally of the stringers. It will thus be seen that the wings l4 and l5, the flanges l! and i8, and the outer side walls of the V-shaped neck portion l6 define the interior Y- shaped channel composed of a central leg I9 in the lower portion of the slider and two diverging arms 20 and 2! in the upper portion of the slider, or in the region of the said V-shaped neck portion 16.

Provided in the front wing M of the slider is a longitudinally extending, rectangularly-shaped opening 25, over which is mounted a housing or cap member 26. Portions of the material of wing Hi which have been displaced to form opening 25, are bent outwardly to form two projecting ears 2i, 2? at the ends of such opening. The ears 2?, 2'! are disposed within the ends of the housing or bridge member 26, which is secured thereto in any suitable fashion, such as by indenting portions of the end walls of such housing into holes formed in such ears, as is indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, The longitudinally extending side walls of the housing 26 are provided with aligned openings 28, 28 through which extends a transverse portion 29 of a pull tab 38. Contained in the plane of the pull tab and projecting outwardly from the outer edge of such transverse portion 29, intermediate the ends of the latter, is a projection 3| (note Fig. 8 of the drawings). The transverse portion 29 and its integral projection 3! are located within an area defined by a vertically disposed, substantially elliptically-shaped locking means 32 (see Figs. 2 and 5 to '7).

As is shown more clearly in Figs. 5 to 7 of the drawings, the locking means 32 is constituted of an integral piece of metal which is formed into a substantially elliptical, link-shaped body portion with two ends 33 and 3 2 thereof disposed in opposed,

spaced relation to provide an opening into the elliptically-shaped area 35 enclosed by such body portion. The body portion of the locking means 32 intermediate the ends 33, 34 gradually increase in width from such ends. Supported by the side walls of the housing 26 is a transverse pin 36 which extends through the end 3 3 of the locking member 32 substantially on the line of the longest dimension of the area 35 and supports such member 32 for free pivotal movement about such pin as an axis within the area of the opening 25. Integral with the end 3 3 of member 32 is a locking tongue 3'1, which is located below the pin 36 and which projects inwardly through the opening of front plate Hi. It will be noted that the construction of the locking member 32 is such that the major portion of such member is disposed to one side of the pivot pin 36 and that it is from the lighter portion of such member disposed on the opposite side of such pin that the locking tongue 3? projects.

It will be understood from the foregoing that by reason of the weight of its end 33 and the latters offset relation to the pivot pin 3%, the

locking member 32 will normally tend to rotate to a position in which the locking tongue}? is in a retracted position, as is shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. In this position of the locking member 32, the central convexly curved inner surface thereof will project slightly through the opening 25 in plate l4 and provide a smooth curved surface which affords no obstruction to the passage of the fastener elements l2 and 13 through the central leg 19 of the slider channel. This is the position of the locking member 32 during the manual manipulation of the slider in a longitudinal direction along the fastener. During such movement of the slider, the pull tab 3:3 which is grasped by the user to accomplish the same, is in a raised position, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings. In this position of the pull tab 30, the projection 3i thereof will bear against the inner concavely-shaped, central surface portion of the locking member 32 and retain the latter and the locking element or tongue 37 in the position above described. This is made possible by the openings 28, 28 in the housing 26 whose side and top walls, through their coaction with portion 29 of the pull tab 30, confine the rotational movement of the pull tab about portion 29 thereof to a relatively fixed axis although allowing for free pivotal movement of the portion 29 within such recesses. At the end of such longitudinal movement of the slider, the pull tab 36 is released by the user and permitted to fall either into the position shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, or into the position shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. If the pull tab, when released, moves into the position shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the projection 3| thereof, during such movement of the pull tab, will engage with the end 33 of the lock member 32 and raise such end in a clockwise fashion, as viewed in Fig. 5, about the pin 36 as a pivot. When the pull tab has reached its at-rest position, in which it is disposed substantially parallel with the front wall i of the slider, the lock member 32 will be in the position shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. During the pivotal movement of the lock member 32 to this position, the locking tongue 3'! will move into the central leg 19 of the slide channel and into locking engagement with the fastener elements located in such portion of the channel. It will be noted from Fig. 4 of the drawings, that the locking tongue 37 is in an offset position on the lock member 32 so that it will enter into the spaces between the fastener elements i2 on the tape Ill. The locking tongue 31 is configured so that as it is contacted by a unit, it will naturally be drawn into firmer looking position. When the locking tongue 31 is so interengaged with the elements 12, movement of the slider in the opening direction or to the right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, is prevented. In a similar fashion, if the pull tab 30, when released, moves into the position shown in Fig. '7 of the drawings, the projection 3| thereof, during such movement of the pull tab, will engage with the end 35 of the lock member 32 and raise such end in a clockwise fashion, as viewed in Fig. 7, about the pin 36 as a pivot. When the pull tab has reached its at-rest position in which it is disposed substantially parallel with the front wall E4 of the slider, the lock member 32 will be in the position shown inFig. 7 of the drawings, with the locking tongue 31 thereof, interlocked with the fastener elements I2 on the tape ID in the same manner as has been described with respect to Fig. 6 of the drawings.

It will be observed therefore, that in the foregoing construction, the locking means is a pivoted link-shaped member, which is so constructed and arranged that when the slider is in a horizontal position, such locking means by its own weight, will tend to move the locking tongue 3'! into an unlocked position. The locking means is positively moved to accomplish such result in whatever position the slider is held, when the pull tab is lifted to move the slider along the fastener by the engagement of the projection 3| on such pull tab with the interior surface of the locking means. If the fastener and consequently the slider is lying in a horizontal plane when the pull tab is released, the outer end thereof may fall toward the top or bottom of the slider. During such release of the pull tab, the projection 3| thereon, will coact with one of the spaced ends 34 or 33 to pivot the lock member 32 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 5 and 7 of the drawings, to bring or advance the locking tongue 3'! into locking engagement with the series of fastener elements on one of the tapes or stringers of the fastener. If when the tongue 3'! is so interlocked with the fastener elements, there is applied to the stringers any stress which would ordinarily tend to move the slider along the fastener in a direction to disengage the fastener elements, or to the right, as viewed in Fig. l of the drawings, the effect of such force will be to more securely latch the tongue 3'! between the fastener elements. Any rotational movement of the lock member 32 under such stresses will cease when the end 33 thereof, comes into engagement with the top or outer wall of the housing 26. There will thus be provided a rigid, unyielding lock against movement of the slider in the opening direction. When it is desired to again manually manipulate the slider along the fastener in either the opening or closing direction, the mere lifting of the pull tab 30 to accomplish such purpose, will cause the projection 3| thereof, to engage with the inner concave cam surface of the lock member 32 to rotate such member about pin 3'5, as a pivot, in a counter-clockwise direction and consequently to withdraw the tongue 31 from its locking engagement with the fastener elements, as has been previously explained From the foregoing, it will have been observed that when the fastener and consequently the slider is lying in a horizontal position, the weight and leverage of the end 33 of the locking member will tend to move the locking member to an unlocked position, thus cooperating with the pull tab when the latter is moved to a position to actuate the slider; the locking action being accomplished by the lever end 3! of the pull tab lifting such end 33 about pivot 36 when the pull tab is released and falls by gravity into either of the positions shown in Figs. 6 and 7. This is likewise true when the fastener shown in Fig. 1 is arranged in a vertical position so that the top of the slider or the neck portion iii is uppermost. In this position of the slider, the chances are that when the pull tab 36 is released, it will fall downwardly under gravity to the position shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. When however, the fastener and slider are in an inverted vertical position or upside down, the weight of the locking member will tend to rotate such member about pivot 35 to move the locking tongue 3'! into latched position with the locking elements I2 of the stringer Iii. Thus, in these latter positions of the slider, the weight of the locking element facilitates the lever action of the pull tab 39 when it is released to cause the interengagement of the tongue 3'! with the locking elements 12; the unlatching of the locking tongue 3? being accomplished by the lever end 3! of the pull tab working against such weight when it is moved to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5 to move the slider along the fastener. It will also be observed that when the slider is operated by the user in the opening direction, or to the right, as viewed in Fig. l of the drawings, the rubbing of the fastener elements against the concave inner surface of the locking member 52 will tend to move the locking tongue El into locking position, but such movement will be pre vented by the engagement of the lever portion 3i of the pull tab with the convexly curved interior surface of the locking member 33. When however, the slider tends to move in the opening direction due to stresses applied to the stringers l0 and H when the pull tab is released, such rubbing action of the fastener elements on the concave inner surface of the locking member 32 will, if the locking tongue is already not in looking position, tilt or tip the locking tongue into the next succeeding space between adjacent fastener elements and cause the slider to become securely locked with respect to the fastener elements l2 of the stringers Hi.

It will be seen from the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, that the present invention provides a simple, positive and effective locking means which is automatic in operation Without the need for springs or other means to effect such automatic operation. While a preferred embodiment of this improved looking means has been specifically shown described herein, it will be understood that medi fications and changes may be made in such embodiment, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope thereof as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A slider for separable fasteners comprising a slider body having an interior channel, the body member having also an opening communicating with said channel, a slider locking member having a locking projection adapted to engage between fastener elements in the portion of the slider channel with which said opening communicates and having a pair of surface portions located within the outer periphery of said looking member, means pivotally supporting said locking member for movement about a fixed axis to enable such member to move to a position in which said locking projection is withdrawn from the fastener elements and to move to position in which said locking projection engages with said elements, and an operating member having a portion of greater dimension in one direction than in a direction transverse thereto and engageable with the surface portions of said lookin member, said operating means being operable when moved to either of two at-rest positions, to cause said portion thereof to engage one of said surface portions to move said looking member so as to advance said locking projection into engagement with the fastener elements.

2. A slider for separable fasteners comprising a slider body having an interior channel, the body member having also an opening communieating with said channel, a slider locking member freely movable about a fixed pivot on said slider, said member having a locking projection on one side of the pivotal axis of said member and adapted upon pivotal movement of said member to be moved in to and out of locking position with fastener elements in the portion of the slider channel with which said opening communicates, and said member having two portions on the other side of the pivotal axis of said member and a pull tab having a cross piece located between said portions and operable to move said cross piece into engagement with one or the other of said portions to pivot said member, and thereby to actuate said locking projection.

3. A slider for separable fasteners comprising a slider body having an interior channel, the body member having also an opening communicating with said channel, a slider looking member mounted on said slider for pivotal movement about a fixed axis and having on one side of such axis a locking projection adapted upon pivotal movement of said member to be moved in to and out of locking position with fastener elements in the portion of the slider channel with which said opening communicates, and said member having on the other side of the pivotal axis of said member two portions spaced from one another, and a pull tab having a cross piece located between said portions and operable to move said cross piece into engagement with one or the other of said portions to pivot said member and thereby to actuate said locking projection, said cross piece engaging one of said portions when said pull tab moves from a raised position to a downward position and being out of engagement with such portion when the pull tab is raised.

l. A slider for separable fasteners comprising a slider body having an interior channel, the body member having also an opening communicating with said channel, a slider locking member movable about a fixed pivot on said slider, said member having an inwardly projecting looking projection on one side of the pivotal axis of said member and adapted upon pivotal movement of said member to be moved in to and out of locking position with fastener elements in the portion of the slider channel with which said opening communicates, and said member having on the other side of the pivotal axis of said member and spaced from one another a pair of arms extending so that the ends thereof are disposed in opposed relationship, and a pull tab having a cross piece extending between said arms, said cross piece engaging the end of one of said arms when said pull tab moves from a raised position to one downward position and engaging the end of the other arm when said pull tab moves from a raised position to its other downward position, the engagement of either of said arms by said cross piece during such downward movement of the pull tab causing said member to be pivoted to move said locking projection into position to lock the fastener elements.

5. A slider for separable fasteners comprising a slider body having an interior channel, the body member having also an opening communicating with said channel, a slider locking member freely movable about a fixed pivot on said slider, said member having a locking projection on one side of the pivotal axis of said member and adapted upon pivotal movement of said member to be moved in to and out of locking position with fastener elements in the portion of the slider channel with which said opening communicates, and said member having two portions on the other side of the pivotai axis of said member, said member being eccentrically mounted on such fixed pivot and the part carrying said portions being heavier than the part carrying said projection so that the former part tends to move inwardly toward said channel under gravity and thereby move said projection out of locking position with the fastener elements, and a pull tab having a cross piece located between said two portions and operable to move said cross piece into engagement with one or the other of said portions to pivot said member and thereby to actuate said locking projection, said cross piece moving into engagement with one of said portions when said pull tab moves from a raised position to a downward position to move said heavier part outwardly and thereby move said projection toward the fastener elements.

6. A slider for separable fasteners comprising a slider body having an interior channel, the body member having an opening communicating with said channel, a slider locking member mounted on said slider for pivotal movement about a fixed axis and having on one side of such axis a locking projection adapted upon pivotal movement of said member to be moved in to and out of locking position with fastener elements in the portion of the slider channel with which said opening communicates, and said member having on the other side of the pivotal axis of said znem her three surface portions spaced from one another, and' a pull tab having a cross piece located between and operable to move said cross piece into engagement with such portions during the use of the slider and thereby to actuate said looking projection, said surface portions being arranged so that said cross piece engages one of said surface portions when said pull tab moves from a raised position to one downward position and engages another surface portion when said pull tab moves from a raised position to its other downward position, and engages the third surface portion which is located intermediate said first two mentioned surface portions, when said pull tab is raised from a downward position.

'7. A slider for separabie fasteners comprising a slider body having an interior channel, the body member having an opening communicating with said channel, a slider locking member freely movable about a fixed pivot on said slider, said member having an inwardly projecting locking projection on one side of the pivotal axis of said member and adapted upon pivotal movement of' said member to be moved into and out of locking position with fastener elements in the portion of the slider channel with which said opening communicates, and said member having on the other side of the pivotal axis of said member two arms curved and extending so that the ends thereof are disposed in opposed relationship, and a pull tab having a cross piece provided with a projection thereon extending between said arms, the projection on said cross piece engaging one of said arms when said pull tab moves from a raised position to one downward position, and engaging the other arm when the pull tab moves from a raised position to its other downward position, and engaging a surface between said arms when said pull tab is raised from a downward position.

8. A slider for separable fasteners comprising a slider body having an interior channel, the body member having an opening communicating with said channel, a slider locking member freely movable about a fixed pivot on said slider, said member having an inwardly projecting locking projection on one side of the pivotal axis of said member and adapted upon pivotal movement of said member to be moved in to and out of looking position with fastener elements in the portion of the slider channel with which said opening communicates, and. said member having on the other side of the pivotal axis of said member two portions spaced from one another, a pull tab having a cross piece provided with a projection thereon located between said portions, and means for mounting said pull tab on said slider body for pivotal movement about a substantially fixed axis extending through the cross piece thereof so that the projection thereon is offset from such axis of movement of the pull tab, said pull tab being pivotal to move the projection thereof into engagement with one or the other of said portions to pivot said member and thereby to actuate said locking projection, said pull tab projection engaging one of said portions when said pull tab moves from a raised position to a downward position and being out of engagement with such portion when the pull tab is raised.

9. A slider such as defined in claim 8 in which said means for pivotally mounting said pull tab comprises a housing fixedly mounted on said body member and having in its side walls a pair of aligned small openings through which extend the cross piece of said pull tab, and in which said portions comprise a pair of arms extending outwardly so that the ends are in opposed relation and so that one of said arms engages the outer wall of said housing to limit the pivotal movement of said locking member in the direction in which said locking projection is advanced into engagement with the locking elements.

ROBERT C. LEGAT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,653,463 Conlin Sept. 8, 1936 2,280,968 Newhal Apr. 28, 1942 2,289,585 Marinsky July 14, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 558,151 Great Britain of 1943 578,141 Great Britain of 1946 

